Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to display devices for augmented, virtual, and mixed reality. More specifically, embodiments described herein provide for waveguide fabrication utilizing sacrificial sidewall spacers.
Description of the Related Art
Virtual reality is generally considered to be a computer generated simulated environment in which a user has an apparent physical presence. A virtual reality experience can be generated in 3D and viewed with a head-mounted display (HMD), such as glasses of other wearable display devices that have near-eye display panels as lenses to display a virtual reality environment that replaces an actual environment.
Augmented reality, however, enables an experience in which a user can still see through the display lenses of the glasses or other HMD device to view the surrounding environment, yet also see images of virtual objects that are generated for display and appear as part of the environment. Augmented reality can include any type of input, such as audio and haptic inputs, as well as virtual images, graphics, and video that enhances or augments the environment that the user experiences. As an emerging technology, there are many challenges and design constraints with augmented reality.
One such challenge is displaying a virtual image overlaid on an ambient environment with an image having sufficient clarity from various user viewing perspectives. For example, if a user's eye is not precisely aligned with the virtual image being displayed, the user may not be able to view the image. Moreover, the image may be blurry and have less than desirable resolution from a non-optimal viewing angle.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art are improved augmented reality display devices.